Apples
by toobeauty
Summary: Hephaestion's life through a simple red fruit ...
1. Chapter 1

_**Title: **__**Apples: Prologue.**_

**Author:** too_beauty – Marielina.  
**Pairing: **Alexander and Hephaestion.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't know the people involved; they belong to history and to themselves. No harm intended, everything is product of my imagination.  
**Beta:** Myr.

There are things that are a constant in somebody's life; in the case of Hephaestion they were the apples, just a simple and red fruit.

In Pella, everybody knows that the Amyntoros family roots were very ancient; somebody said that they could be tracked back till the times of the great heroes; somebody said that their threads of life were interwoven with the ones of Patroclus; others said the Amyntoros men were a gift to humankind from Aphrodite herself and that their eyes were the symbol of the goddess. Nobody could explain how those magnificent cerulean eyes were attached to the most remarkable frame, which also held the quickest mind.

The first Amyntoros- Hephaestion's great grandfather – who set foot in Pella in historical times was a warrior, the best ever seen, but when his battle wounds made him stop fighting, he was rewarded with a large farm with land and woods; the land was so magnificent that it had its own stream.

This Amyntoros had a great passion for horses so he started breeding them, especially war stallions, and they were so fine and strong that people from all over Greece came to his farm to buy them; among them were the Macedonian Kings.

One very cold winter night, an old lady knocked at his door asking for asylum. The old Amyntoros let her enter and provided food and a warm bed. He excused himself because of the poor food he was offering her and explained that his beloved wife had passed away that autumn leaving him alone with three small boys. After a nice conversation, they went to sleep.

The next morning, the woman was about to leave when the former warrior offered her a skin cloak and leather boots to protect her from the cold. The old lady thanked him because she knew how difficult it had been for him to get rid of things that had belonged to his wife.

The old lady asked Amyntoros if she could see his children; he called for them and she took a leather pouch she was wearing around her neck, and opening, she took four tiny seeds – one for each boy and one for the father – and told them to go near their stream and plant those seeds thirty steps one from the other.

"What is this, my lady?" the youngest son asked.

"This is the seed of your life tree; it will provide you with everything you need at the precise time. Do the same with your own boys, when you become a man one day," she replied.

Saying that, she went away, and while she was walking, a big smile could be seen on Aphrodite's face.

The four Amyntoros immediately went to the stream and planted their seeds and within a few months, four strong apple trees blossomed with very beautiful white flowers. Each of them gave birth to some more and since then, the farm also was famous due to its apple trees.

What furthermore was a constant in the Amyntoros lives was that their women only carried boys in their wombs; all of them with auburn hair and cerulean eyes, slim frames and quick minds, lively and loyal.

When the old Amyntoros died, his apple tree went dry, and one hundred years later, the most remarkable Amyntoros was born.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Title: Apples: Chapter one.**_

**Author:** too_beauty – Marielina.  
**Pairing: **Alexander and Hephaestion.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't know the people involved; they belong to history and to themselves. No harm intended, everything is product of my imagination.  
**Beta:** Myr.

Pella, 356 BC 

Amyntas looked at his newly born boy and at the very same moment he looked at his big blue eyes, he knew he was different.

"This boy will leave his mark in this world," he said to his wife while smiling at her.

"Yes, I know; my pregnancy was completely different from the others, I always felt full of joy and strength but the moment he caught my finger in his little fist, I realized that he will be loved a lot but also hated and envied. I pray the Olympics to let him find a true partner to match him in beauty, love and intelligence."

"Do not worry, my love, everything will be fine. I will go to plant his seed."

When Amyntas arrived at his own tree to look for the seed to plant, he saw something very bright hanging from the lowest branch. When he approached, he saw it was a gold apple and when he stepped beneath that branch, the gold apple fell into his hands and opened, revealing a unique little seed, but bigger than the previous ones. He planted the seed and kept the gold apple. When he returned to his house and told about this to his wife, they decided to keep that gold apple as a necklace for Hephaestion, as it was very delicate and small.

And it was true; Hephaestion was different from Lysander and Telemacus; he was slimmer while stronger; more handsome and with the quickest mind.

The day Hephaestion was two years old, he escaped from his mother's care and went directly to the stream; on his way he found his own tree and embraced it, after that he sat beneath its small shadow and a ripened apple fell next to his little hand, he took it and sucked, it was soft, sweet and juicy and, after some time, he fell asleep.

Half an hour later, he woke up and went to the stream, he knelt to play with his reflection on the water surface when one of his little knees slipped due to the mud and nearly fell into the water; but he didn't, one of the lowest branches of his own tree got stuck in his hair and avoided the fall

Amyntas and his two elder sons were looking for Hephaestion and they found him hugging his tree tightly.

"Hephaestion, my son, are you unharmed?" a worried Amyntas asked.

"Papa, tree … saved …. Tion."

Amyntas took Hephaestion in his arms, amazed at his talking and that same day, Hephaestion was given his gold apple necklace because his tree had protected him.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

_**Thanks for so kindly reviews and this new chapter is here thanks to tribalshimmy who taught me how to do it. Thanks S!**_

_**Title: Apples: Chapter two.**_

**Author:** too_beauty – Marielina.  
**Pairing: **Alexander and Hephaestion.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't know the people involved; they belong to history and to themselves. No harm intended, everything is product of my imagination.  
**Beta:** Myr.

Four winters turned into spring and a six-year-old boy was running among the trees.

"Father, let me ride Auburn again," a happy Hephaestion asked his father.

"By Heracles' breath, leave that mare in peace; she is tired of taking you everywhere," his father replied with a smile.

"Please, Papa, let me, I must practice," Hephaestion urged on.

"What are you practising for, Hephaestion?" Amyntor asked, on the verge to give in.

"To reach the end of the world!" he replied plainly.

"Will you be a warrior like your great grandfather?" Amyntor asked curiously.

"No, I don't like war, Papa; I like to build things, but if I am to destroy something, I must also be able to fix it."

"Wise answer, my son. Your hands are destined to build, protect, heal and give comfort! Amyntor said, proud of his son's logic thinking.

"Yes, Papa, but I must find someone to go with me, I won´t be able to do it by myself."

"You will find the perfect life partner, do not worry. Now leave Auburn alone, her colt is about to be born," Amyntor reprimanded his youngest.

"Can I see this birth, Papa? I promise I won't faint, I'm stronger now; I can help!"

"Very well, but if you faint, I won't help you," Amyntor teased.

"Yes, Papa, thank you!" Then he turned to the horse and guided her. "Come my beautiful Auburn. Let's go to rest under my tree shadow."

And it was amazing to see how the mare followed the boy as if she were a foal.

Hephaestion was sent to sleep in spite of his protests. His sweet Auburn was breathing heavily and that was a signal that the birth was near. It was nearly dawn when Hephaestion woke up because he had a vision: the mare needed his help and if he didn't go, she and her colt would die.

He ran to the barn and there he found his father and his two elder brothers, neither of them could calm the mare down and she was in real pain. The mare turned her head and smelled Hephaestion, and when the boy started to caress her neck she relaxed even though she was still unable to give birth.

"What's the problem, Papa?" Hephaestion anxiously asked.

"The colt is too big and Auburn cannot push it out. She has tried for the last two hours but nothing has happened," Amyntor replied trying not to worry the child.

"I know what she needs," and, saying that, Hephaestion went out of the barn running as if Hades was chasing him. Two minutes later, the boy offered the mare a big red apple from his apple tree.

"Eat Auburn, you need something sweet to gain your strength back and give birth to your colt. I will need him to reach the end of the world." He whispered his last words sweetly in her ear.

The mare ate the apple and put her nuzzle against the small nose of Hephaestion, and big black eyes met his big cerulean ones. Twenty minutes later, a colt was born; black, strong, energetic, full of life, which was on his four legs immediately.

Amyntas looked at his elder sons and both nodded with a secret smile.

"How will you name your war stallion, Hephaestion?" Amyntor asked,

"Mine, Papa? But Lysander hasn´t got his horse yet; he must have this," Hephaestion asked in disbelief.

"No, this colt is yours because you saved him," Lysander answered, "and apart from that - I prefer mares," he grinned.

"If this is satisfactory for you, he will be called Apollo," and saying that, he approached the foal discovering a white mark on his nuzzle, shaped like a star with many rays, like the Macedonian Star.

The foal let Hephaestion caress him and the little boy whispered into his ear, "We will go to Macedon one day and there we will find our life partners." The little horse fell sleep with his head on Hephaestion's shoulder.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

_**Title: Apples: Chapter three.**_

**Author:** too_beauty – Marielina.  
**Pairing: **Alexander and Hephaestion.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't know the people involved; they belong to history and to themselves. No harm intended, everything is product of my imagination.  
**Beta:** Myr.

Pella, 348 BC.

Hephaestion was lying under his apple tree, which was extremely big and full of leaves for being an eight-year-old tree. The brunette boy was nearly asleep after eating five apples, one after the other; his mother would punish him if she dawned on about that, but she wouldn't realize if Hephaestion didn't suffer another stomach ache.

His eyelids were heavy and about to close when he listened to someone cursing in a very low voice. Opening his eyes, Hephaestion propped his thin body on his elbows and lost his breath at the vision greeting him… a young God Apollo was sitting nearby massaging a sprained ankle. Hephaestion looked at the boy: two deep coloured eyes were attached to an oval face, strong nose, pale complexion – even though his cheeks were quite rosy by now-, blonde wavy hair reaching his nape, all these in a small body but, which gave Hephaestion the idea that it would turn into a strong and stocky frame.

Getting to his feet and swallowing hard to make his mouth wet, Hephaestion approached the boy and asked, kneeling by his side:

"Do you need my help?"

The smaller boy looked up and thought he had died and reached the Olympus because he was sinking into the most amazing bluest eyes he had ever seen.

Hephaestion thought the other boy didn't speak Macedonian so he tried again in Greek and very slowly:

"Do … you … need … my … help?"

"Yes, I need you" the small boy answered with a very closed Macedonian accent.

"Oh, let me see your ankle; it is sprained, so you mustn't put weight onto it," Hephaestion advised while stretching the boy´s leg. He ripped the hem of his chiton to get some strips and with two straight sticks he bandaged the ankle up to the boy´s calf.

The contact of the other child´s hand on his ankle made the blonde boy look at those eyes again.

"Thanks," he said and, feeling a bit dizzy, he threw himself on his back.

"Please, don't die!" Hephaestion whispered looking at that pretty face with horror.

"Do not fear, I won't. I just feel dizzy," the shorter boy answered while narrowing his eyes.

Hephaestion went back to his tree and brought forth the biggest apple he could find.

"Eat this, please," he asked, offering the fruit to the boy, "It will give you the sugar you need and it will avoid your dizziness."

"How do you know?" the blonde boy asked while biting the apple and realizing that it was the sweetest apple he has ever eaten.

"Because once I saved my beautiful Auburn with an apple," the brunette replied proudly.

"Who is she? Is she your girlfriend?" the fair haired boy asked with a hint of jealousy in his voice; a feeling that he couldn't fully understand.

"No, she is my mare and mother of Apollo, my dear stallion," Hephaestion answered.

The small boy chocked with the revelation and said angrily:

"I am NOT an animal!! I am ALEXANDER, son of KING Phillip II, PRINCE of Macedon."

"Forgive me my Prince. I didn't know who you were," Hephaestion quickly answered, horrified at his error and truly ashamed of his behaviour. "I am your subject, punish me as you desire," he immediately added while kneeling in front of his Prince, with his chin touching his chest.

In that moment, General Cleitus appeared and seeing the Prince hurt, he started cursing and naming all the gods of the Pantheon; he picked him up in his strong arms and left, while Hephaestion was still on his knees, as if he was fixed to the floor.

Alexander implored Cleitus to stop because he wanted to talk to the boy but Cleitus didn't and leapt on his horse and quickly rode off.

Hephaestion put his head up because he listened to the hooves of the horses far away, and with a heavy heart, he returned to his house. He was quiet all day long and his mother was truly worried as Hephaestion went to bed leaving his plate untouched; but she also knew that if something was bothering her youngest son, sooner or later, he would tell her.

Eros painted the sky with her pinky fingers and Helios started to appear on the horizon when a little brunette boy with reddish eyes approached his mother and started to cry in her arms.

"My sweet Hephaestion, what is troubling your soul?" his worried mother asked.

"Promise me mama that when the King's Guard come for me, you won't cry because that will break my heart," Hephaestion asked his mother sobbing his blue eyes out.

"What are you talking about, my son? Why will they come for you?"

"I insulted the Prince yesterday, but I didn't know who he was," he explained.

"I don't understand, sweetheart, tell me from the beginning, Hephaestion," she asked her son, bringing him nearer.

Hephaestion sat on his mother's lap, with his arms around her waist, and setting his head on her breast, he retold what had happened the afternoon before. When he finished talking, his mother pressed her finger under his chin and made Hephaestion lift his head and meet her eyes.

"The King is a very generous man. I don't think he will take that as an offense, but as a misunderstanding," she said trying to calm her son down.

"Do you think, mother? Won't I be put into a dark damp dungeon and left there till I rot myself?" he asked nervously.

"No, my dear, no. Phillip is a good friend of your father's and our family has provided the Macedonian Cavalry for more than 120 years," she replied.

"That's fine, mother, if you say so. I will go to do my chores," a calmer Hephaestion replied.

Later that afternoon, a courier with a red cloak- symbol of the Macedonian King- arrived at the farm and asked to speak to Hephaestion. The boy was as white as his chiton and he was sweating profusely.

"My name is Hylas, one of the Royal couriers and this letter is for you; dictated directly by the King himself," and saying that, the man bowed and took his leave, while Hephaestion was holding the scroll in his hand not daring to open it, fearing its contents too greatly.

His elder brother, Lysander, was passing by leading the goats to their barn when he saw his brother holding the scroll.

"Hey, little imp, what are you doing there, standing in the middle of my way?" he asked his brother.

"I got this letter from the King but I don't want to know what it is about," Hephaestion replied with fear in his voice.

"Why not?" Lysander asked curiously.

"Because I misbehaved yesterday and they are taking me to the palace to be a life prisoner," Hephaestion exclaimed with terror in his voice.

"Let me see the letter and I will reveal you your fate," Lysander answered joking. He started to read seriously and a deep wrinkle appeared in his forehead when he frowned.

"Yes, that's true; you are summoned to the Palace in three days by order of the Princeling because he wants you to ……"

"… to be flogged to death, I know," Hephaestion replied, his voice laden in terror as he interrupted his brother's reading.

"No, silly. He wants you to join him as his partner in his studies under Aristotle. And he also thanked you for giving his strength back with 'you-know-what'…"

Hephaestion was so relieved and happy that he couldn't stop laughing and he kissed his brother for giving him such wonderful news.

He ran to the house to tell his mother about his leaving; in that moment he realized he would be parting from his family but this opportunity couldn't be missed, especially because the warmth he felt in his heart told him that everything was going to be alright.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

_Title: Apples: Chapter four._

Author: too_beauty – Marielina.  
Pairing: Alexander and Hephaestion.  
Disclaimer: I don't know the people involved; they belong to history and to themselves. No harm intended, everything is product of my imagination.  
Beta: Myr.

Mieza, 344 BC.

Four years had passed since "the accident", it was how the two inseparable friends called the beginning of their friendship.

Hephaestion turned to be an excellent student, he always gave intelligent answers, and his teachers were very proud of him. He was also a good influence for the Prince, because he was the only one of his friends who treated him as Alexander and not as the King to be.

The two youths spent all their time together, and Aristotle, being a wise man especially at judging human souls, discovered he was in the presence of a miracle: two soul mates had early met and complemented each other so well that it gave real joy to whoever looked at the two boys walking with their arms on each other's shoulders and sharing his riches and miseries.

Aristotle decided to give a special gift to Alexander on his twelfth birthday: it was an illustrated copy of "The Iliad" and he had the inner wish that both boys - Alexander and Hephaestion - could discover themselves in the characters of Achilles and Patroclus. Another reason was that both boys could claimed being descendants of those heroes.

Hephaestion gifted Alexander with a medallion shaped as the Vergina Star and the Prince was amazed at it, especially when he discovered it was also a locket. Alexander took his friend's hand and ran together to his chamber.

"Why are we here, Alexander?" Hephaestion asked curiously.

"I am looking for something," Alexander said while taking out a small piece of cloth from his wooden box.

"What is that?" Hephaestion asked trying to peep over his friend's shoulder.

"Something I want to keep in my new locket," Alexander explained while opening the medallion. "Here they are, where they truly belong," Alexander said with his voice full of satisfaction.

"Can I have a look?" Hephaestion asked shyly.

"Of course, my friend. I have put some seeds inside."

"Seeds? Have they got any healing power?" Hephaestion asked surprised.

"Oh yes, they are very powerful, they give you strength, they bring you joy and happiness, they give me love…" Alexander confessed blushing a little.

"I am happy for you, my friend. Who gave you that beautiful present? Let me guess: it was Aristotle."

"No,"

"It was that Persian physician who stopped here for some days last winter," Hephaestion said.

"No."

"Of course! Now I know who was!" Hephaestion said slapping his forehead. "It was Queen Olympia, your mother."

"No," Alexander answered and with a smile on his face, he said:

"It was YOU, my dear friend; they are the seeds of the first apple you gifted me."

"Why did you keep them?" Hephaestion sounded astonished.

"I don't know but I felt that they were very important," and saying that the king-to-be embraced his friend tightly and released a deep sigh.

"Please, Phai, never leave my side," Alexander pleaded his friend with his head hid in the crook of Hephaestion's neck.

"Never, Xander, if it is in my will, I will never leave you because you are my best friend and I love you a lot," Hephaestion answered while caressing the blonde mane.

"Do you love ME, Phai?" Alexander asked with joy in his voice and looking into his favourite blue eyes.

"Of course I do! You are like a brother to me," Hephaestion answered the Prince, hiding his eyes so they wouldn't reveal his real feelings for his friend.

"Like a brother, of course, a brother's love," Alexander murmured casting his eyes down.

"Are you feeling well, Alexander?" a worried Hephaestion asked.

"Too many emotions for one day," Alexander explained to cover up his feelings.

"You should rest for a while before your banquet begins," Hephaestion suggested.

"That's a good idea. Will you join…?" Alexander began to ask but stopped in the middle of the sentence.

"Of course I will join you at the party, I wouldn't miss it!! Take your rest and I'll come for you later, and we will go to the banquet together."

"That's fine, my friend," and saying that, Alexander curled his body on one side of the bed, showing his back to Hephaestion. His friend shouldn't see his watery eyes.

Hephaestion left Alexander's chamber and rested his back on the closed door; after some minutes, his knees went weak and he sat hugging his legs with his head upon his knees.

"I love you, my Prince, but not like a brother," he whispered to himself before he stood up and sprinted to the gymnasium.

Perdicas and Ptolemy saw Hephaestion running like the wind, heading to the wrestling area; so they followed him.

Hephaestion asked the best wrestler for a fight; he did well but he also was a bit absent-minded and the result was that he received some good punches and a big bruise on his left eye. Ptolemy stopped the match and took Hephaestion back to the barracks. He tended to the injured eye, which was almost closed, but he didn't ask about what had happened. Being older and having a quick mind, Ptolemy knew that Hephaestion's confusion had to do with Alexander.

"Rest for a while and get dressed with your best chiton to celebrate Alexander's birthday," Ptolemy said while brushing some locks of hair from his younger friend's forehead.

"Thanks, Ptolemy. I am fine, just a bit shaken," Hephaestion murmured.

After two hours, two very well-dressed friends headed to the main room where the banquet was held. Alexander, because he was the honoured guest, sat at the main table with his parents and siblings. At the next table, the Generals and the King's Companions were seated and finally the table of Alexander's friends.

Alexander looked for his dearest friend and a big smile could be seen on his face when he spotted the handsome brunette looking back at him, they shared a nod but then the Prince frowned and his two coloured eyes got darker when he discovered Hephaestion's left eye completely closed. He wanted to run to his friend and asked what had happened. Sensing that, Hephaestion mouthed a "Don't worry, later" towards him and Alexander nodded.

The party protocol kept the dearest friends apart, looking at each other from the distance. It was nearly midnight when Alexander was able to go to Hephaestion and asked about his bruised eye.

"It is nothing serious, so worry not, Prince Alexander," Hephaestion answered formally.

"Amyntoros, would you mind accompanying me to the balcony. I want a word with you," the Prince asked.

"Of course, My Prince" and saying that, they both moved towards the balcony, walking with royal movements.

Once they crossed the curtains, Alexander turned round, cupped Hephaestion's face with both his hands, and led them towards a moonlight ray.

"How did you get this, Phai?" the blonde boy asked extremely worried.

"I was daydreaming while wrestling and Ajax beat me down," Hephaestion explained while feeling the warmth of Alexander's hands around his face.

"AJAX, AJAX," the Prince said while caressing with his thumb pad the closed and bruised eyelid. "What were you thinking about? He is at least two heads taller than you and twice as heavy," he added.

"I know, but I needed to release some stupid thoughts," Hephaestion murmured looking at the Prince who was getting closer.

"What are you doing, Xander?" a very nervous Hephaestion asked.

"You have your apples to heal, I have my kisses," Alexander explained, while getting nearer every time.

"Kisses don't have healing powers," Hephaestion tried to protest.

"Mine do because they are born from my heart which is full of love for … you," and saying that, he kissed swiftly the left eyelid.

"Don't do that Alex, please," begged Hephaestion.

"Why not?" Alexander asked as he placed another kiss upon sore eyelid, albeit a bit firmer this time.

"Because someone can see you and get the wrong idea of the situation," Hephaestion tried to explain while his mind was getting cloudier by the second.

"And what kind of idea exactly would they extract from this situation?" he asked teasingly and moving his lips towards his friend's lips, leaving a trail of butterfly kisses along his left cheek.

"I … I …" stuttered Hephaestion, "I can't think about a good answer right now."

"Good - don't think, just…feel," Alexander whispered upon his lips.

Alexander saw that his friend closed his good eye and knew he was ready. He placed his lips against Hephaestion's and licked them swiftly. Releasing a soft moan, Hephaestion tightened his arms around Alexander's waist bringing him nearer. They kissed tenderly and after some minutes, the kiss deepened and their lips parted to let their tongues met inside their mouths. A noise made them part and with love in his eyes, Alexander whispered:

"I knew your kisses would taste like your apples, very sweet."

Hephaestion blushed and remained in silence because his heart was still running very fast inside his chest.

"I love you, Alexander, but not like a brother," he confessed to his better half.

"I love you too, Hephaestion, and I have never thought of you as a brother but as my soul mate," Alexander said, taking his friend's hands into his, "and I thank the gods for that "accident" four years ago. Promise me that we will take care of this feeling together, nurture it with trust, joy and loyalty, and that we will never be apart".

"I promise you that from the bottom of my heart, my Prince," Hephaestion answered him smiling.

"So from now on this is our vow and be cursed the man who try to set us apart." And saying that, Alexander took out a dagger from his belt and cut the pad of his fourth left finger till it bleed; at the same time Hephaestion followed suit and joined their bloody fingers to seal their vows.

Two happy youths went to sleep into each other's arms for the first time, not knowing that something was menacing their happiness.

TBC


End file.
